Again
by Queenie47
Summary: Sydney left LA pregnant...now 5 years later when she comes back with her daughter in tow, she finds things are different from when she left them.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Again  
  
Authors: Nicole (Queenie47)   
  
Disclaimer: We do not own anything (except Kiera), all the other characters are owned by J.J. Abrams, Bad Robot, and ABC (Oh we own Grover and Mrs. Smith too), although I think we'd both agree that Michael Vartan or even Vaughn could be ours anytime he wants.   
  
Rating: PG-13? Language (that should be it, but we'll warn you if the rating increases or if it's for another reason)  
  
Spoilers: Through Double Agent (the spy!sex) - AU  
  
Pairings: Not going to tell you, just believe that this was put in the S/V section for a reason  
  
Summary: Sydney left LA pregnant, now 5 years later she returns, 4-year-old daughter in tow, to see that many things have changed.  
  
Dedication: To the ZAP!  
  
Author's Note: Thanks to Screech for beta'ing this for us!  
  
Please read and review!  
  
Chapter 1   
  
"Ladies and gentlemen we'll be arriving at LAX in approximately 5 minutes, please stay seated and buckle up as we make our descent," the pilot said over the loudspeaker.  
  
Kiera Grace Bristow squirmed as her mother tried to buckle her seat belt. She pushed her hand away and looked her mom in the eyes, green met brown.  
  
"Mom I'm not little you know," she said defiantly, placing her hands on her hips, "I'm 4 you know, I think I can buckle my own seat belt."  
  
Sydney sighed and looked at her daughter waiting for the signature eye roll, as if on cue her green eyes rolled up into her eyelids.  
  
"Kiera don't roll your eyes like that," Sydney scolded, "Someday they'll get stuck like that."  
  
Kiera turned her attention away from her mother to stare at some guy sitting near them, she was still annoyed that she had been uprooted from the only home she had ever known, from the only friends she had, and brought here to Los Angeles.  
  
She knew her mother was looking at her but chose to ignore her, wanting her to know that she was mad and that she wanted to go back to New York City.  
  
"Kiera sweetie come here," Sydney called, "Let me help you put your jacket on."  
  
Kiera snapped back from her mother's reach and huffed, "I can do it myself."  
  
Sydney sighed heavily and looked as if she was about to cry. She knew Kiera wanted to go back to New York, but the truth was, she didn't even recognize herself when she was in New York, she never really felt at home, and then it had dawned on her, the only place she could feel at home was home and her home happened to be in Los Angeles.  
  
So she packed up all of Kiera's and her things and impulsively decided to move back out to LA, knowing that one day Kiera would understand why she had to do it.  
  
But Kiera had so many more options now that they were in LA, she could get to know her father, spend time with her grandparents, and meet Will and Francie.  
  
She wanted Kiera to meet Vaughn right away, but first and foremost she had to find a place for them to sleep, her car was being sent to LA so that wasn't even a choice, but she knew one place she was always welcome: her parent's house.  
  
* * * *  
  
Michael Vaughn walked into the front door of his house after a long day of work and smelled lasagna. Alice was a good cook and he couldn't wait to eat a nice, warm meal on a dreary day like this.  
  
He walked into the kitchen only to be met at the doorway by a glowing Alice bouncing into his arms. He held her at arm's length and stared into her crisp blue eyes trying to find out what had her acting like a giddy teenager.  
  
"Guess what?" she asked barely containing her excitement, "I have the best news ever."  
  
"Yeah?" he questioned with a goofy look on his face.  
  
"I may be pregnant!" she excitedly told him, "I'm late and I went to the doctor's today and they'll be calling back sometime tonight with the results."  
  
She saw his shocked expression and quickly sobered up, "Aren't you happy Michael?"  
  
He picked her up and started twirling her around in the kitchen in circles, "Of course I'm happy, I'm estactic! We've only been trying to have kids since we got married, and that was 3 years ago."  
  
She took his hand, "Come on let's eat dinner, maybe they'll call us soon."  
  
What Michael didn't know was that Sydney was back in town and he already had a daughter.  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney and Kiera filed off the plane and instantly Sydney felt as if she were home, the normal hustle and bustle of the busy airport was like second nature to her, she was so used to it.  
  
Kiera grabbed her hand and Sydney smiled, she had a feeling that was going to happen. Kiera may have a major attitude sometimes but when it came to strangers she was shy and wouldn't approach anyone.  
  
Pushing her way through the crowd with Kiera trailing behind her, Sydney reached the baggage claim just as their bags came around.  
  
"Perfect timing," she muttered and grabbed all four bags handing the smallest and lightest one to Kiera to carry.  
  
She looked up at Sydney, "Mommy when is the rest of our stuff going to get here? I miss all my toys and stuffed animals and I really miss Grover."  
  
"Sweetie Mrs. Smith is taking care of Grover until she can pack everything up for us and ship it here. And Grover's going to stay in New York until we go back to get him, but I promise we'll go in a couple weeks once we get settled," Sydney explained then watched for her reaction, she had a tendency to throw a temper tantrum in the worst places, the airport would be no different.  
  
Sydney looked surprised and shocked as Kiera looked up at her and shook her head, "Okay as long as we get Grover soon and bring him back here."  
  
"Okay sweetheart let's go," Sydney said pulling her daughter along with her, "We have to get a cab to take us to your grandma and grandpa's house."  
  
* * * *  
  
Michael and Alice sat at the table holding hands and staring at the phone. They'd been doing this for close to an hour just hoping the doctor would call soon enough. The phone rang and Alice jumped up, chirping an "I'll get it!"  
  
With a smile on her face she picked up the phone, "Hello?"  
  
"Alice," Weiss practically growled, "Can I please talk to Mike?"  
  
"Sorry Eric but we're waiting for a phone call," she spat out, "He'll have to call you back."  
  
"Put him on the phone," Weiss hissed, "Got it?"  
  
The smile fully gone from her face, she thrust the phone into Michael's chest, muttering, "It's Eric and he won't hang up until he talks to you."  
  
"Weiss..." Vaughn started but was cut off.  
  
"I have some news for you," Weiss told him excitement in his voice, "Some real good news."  
  
"It's going to have to wait Weiss, we're expecting a phone call that's important, I'll have to call you back later," Vaughn replied then he hung up.  
  
Weiss looked at the phone and said, "How about this? Sydney's back."  
  
* * * *  
  
Jack Bristow practically ran out of the CIA Ops Center. He had seen the coverage the CIA had from the airport, and had seen his daughter back in LA and heading towards the exit.  
  
Even though Irina was at home, if Sydney chose to come see them, he wanted to be there too.  
  
Breaking every traffic law in the book, and running numerous lights, he made it home in about 7 minutes (normally a 20 minute ride). He ran in the door and ran off to find his wife who he had no doubt was probably in the flower gardens out back.  
  
Racing out the back door and attempting to stop by the gardens, he tripped over a lawn chair and fell flat on his face.  
  
Irina looked up and tried to supress laughter, but not succeeding as she burst into laughter. "Sweetie not that I don't love seeing you so excited," Irina exclaimed, "What's up?"  
  
"I was at work and as you know we monitor the airports to see who's coming in and who's leaving LA," he explained and Irina nodded, "Guess who was seen leaving the airport?"  
  
"I don't know," she replied, "Someone you've been trying to catch for a while?"  
  
"You could say that," Jack cryptically said, Irina shrugged, "Sydney was seen leaving LAX."  
  
Irina was shocked. "Sydney, as in our daughter Sydney?" she asked, "The one who went missing five years ago and hasn't been heard from since?"  
  
Jack nodded and tears started to flow down Irina's face, "My baby, she's back?"  
  
Jack collected Irina in his arms and rubbed soothing circles on her back.  
  
"It's okay sweetheart," he murmured, "We don't even know what she's doing here, she might be here just to pick something up. We're not going to search her out, if she wants her presence known then she'll come to us, she knows where to find us."  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney handed the cab driver the money for the ride and gave him a tip before she got their bags and looked up at her childhood home.  
  
"This is where you grew up?" Kiera asked staring at the big house standing before her.  
  
"Yeah," Sydney replied, "Isn't it nice?"  
  
"It's big," Kiera told her, "Really, really big."  
  
Sydney felt a twinge of guilt, in New York they lived in a small two-bedroom apartment, she wished they could of had something bigger, but raising her daughter up all by herself on a single income, even if it was a teacher's income, was hard especially in New York City.  
  
"Come on let's go meet your grandparents," Sydney said.  
  
Kiera enthusiastically skipped up the sidewalk holding Sydney's hand until they were on the porch when Sydney knocked.  
  
The door flung open and Jack stood there in the doorway, "Daddy..."  
  
* * * *  
  
Three hours later, Alice and Michael were still sitting at the table waiting for the doctor to call. "Why hasn't she called yet?" Alice asked frustrated.  
  
"I'm sure she'll call really soon," Vaughn replied, as if on cue the phone rang and Alice jumped up getting excited once again.  
  
"Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Mrs. Vaughn," Dr. Richards said, "This is Dr. Richards, I have the results of your pregnancy test."  
  
"Yes, yes what is it?" Alice pushed excitedly.  
  
"I'm sorry Mrs. Vaughn but you're not pregnant, it was just a false alarm."  
  
Dr. Richards disconnected and Alice began crying. Michael rushed up from the table and grabbed her arms excitedly, thinking that because she was crying it meant she was pregnant.  
  
"What, what's the verdict?" he asked, "Are we going to be parents."  
  
"No, no we aren't," she said through sobs, "It was a false alarm, I'm not pregnant."  
  
She burst into tears and ran from the room. "Alice where are you going?" he questioned.  
  
"I just want to be alone," she told him, "Please just let me be alone."  
  
He nodded his head and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator, he needed something to get him through this, something to help him out, the one thing that used to help him through crises like this: Sydney.  
  
********************  
  
Please read and review! 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
'She's back in town,' he thought to himself, brooding as Alice still had herself locked in the bedroom, Weiss having just called him again and let him in on the news, 'My one true love is back in town after 5 years. What am I still doing here?'  
  
Tossing the beer in the sink he muttered, "I need to get out of here."  
  
He scribbled a note for Alice, explaining he'd be back later, not to worry, he'd call her if he was going to be late and left the house he hated, that he felt so trapped in, to go somewhere, anywhere that would get him out of that house, and he already knew Alice wouldn't even notice he was gone.  
  
Somehow he was pulled towards the park, where he saw all the happy families walking through, the couples holding hands and he envisioned that one of the couples were Sydney and himself.  
  
He plopped down on a bench to brood some more as he thought about Sydney, but what's new? He always thought about her.  
  
Jack just stood there, Irina coming to meet him at the door, both their gazes fixated on Sydney, and both had yet to notice little Kiera standing next to her mommy and holding her hand.  
  
All of this was happening as if it were in slow motion, when in actuality Sydney was rushing up the sidewalk dragging Kiera behind her.  
  
Forgetting that she had her daughter with her she dropped everything - the bags and Kiera's hand - and rushed into the arms of her parents, their tears merging together.  
  
Kiera just stood there, rooted to the spot completely clueless as to what was going on.  
  
Minutes later they finally broke apart and Jack took a step back to get a good look at his long lost daughter, "You look good sweetheart."  
  
He thought it was good that something was the same as before she left as she beamed at him, her dimpled smile as beautiful as ever. "You do too," she replied then turned her attention to Irina, "Mom what are you doing here?"  
  
Irina smiled back, grabbing her daughter's hand, "Your father and I got remarried."  
  
Sydney's smile only grew as she pulled her mother excitedly into a hug and squealed, "That's so great!"  
  
Meanwhile, as they were reminiscing, Jack's gaze had been wandering when he saw the little 4-year-old with blonde hair and unmistakable green eyes, and instantly he knew who she was.  
  
It was then that Sydney had remembered Kiera was still standing out on the steps and she turned to look down at her daughter, "Kiera why don't you come up here and meet your grandparents."  
  
Irina looked shocked, she was a grandmother. Kiera never met any of their eyes as she walked up the stairs to stand next to her mother and instinctively snuck her hand into Sydney's, something she only did when she was extremely shy, afraid, and scared.  
  
"Kiera," Sydney said quietly trying to get her attention, "This is your grandmother and your grandfather."  
  
Kiera finally looked up and met their eyes and Jack's suspicions about who the father was were confirmed. Blonde hair, intense green eyes, cleft chin - definitely Vaughn's.  
  
Irina bent down to eyelevel with Kiera as Jack discreetly pulled Sydney aside.  
  
"How old are you Kiera?" Irina asked quietly.  
  
"Four," she smiled, warming up to her grandmother, "But I'll be four and a half in three months."  
  
This was the piece of information Irina had hoped she would get, and she calculated in her head. Kiera had been conceived right before Sydney left, and by her looks Irina knew Agent Vaughn was her father.  
  
"That's wonderful sweetie," Irina laughed, "How about we leave Mommy and Grandpa alone to talk and we can go inside and get some cookies and milk?"  
  
"Ohh cookies!" Kiera exclaimed excitedly as she let Irina lead her in the house. As the door shut, Jack began talking.  
  
"I'm so happy to see you," Jack sighed, "I'm so happy you're okay, we thought we'd never see you again."  
  
"I'm fine dad," Sydney smiled, "I've had a good life so far in the last few years."  
  
"So Kiera?" he laughed with a smile.  
  
Love filled Sydney's eyes as her smile grew, "Yeah, she's something isn't she?"  
  
Jack knew the next thing he would say would probably make her mad, but he had to be blunt and to the point, "Who's the father?"  
  
Sydney looked shocked, "Dad!"  
  
"No Sydney, I have my own suspicions - based on how she looks, but I want to hear it out of your mouth."  
  
She rolled her eyes, "What makes you think you have any right to know who her father is?"  
  
"Is it Vaughn?" Jack asked her quietly.  
  
She gave up, she hadn't come here to fight with him or with anyone and she nodded her head, whispering, "Yes."  
  
Jack nodded, he had thought that would be the answer he would get, "And does Vaughn know about her?"  
  
She shook her head cautiously letting him know that Vaughn did not know. "If everything goes according to plan," she explained, "I had planned on telling him sometime soon - I just have to call him first."  
  
Jack sighed, he really hadn't wanted to be the one to tell her, but he had no choice, "Sydney, Vaughn is married - he married Alice three years ago."  
  
She turned and walked into the house before he could see the tears swimming in her eyes.  
  
Brushing them away she murmured, "Kiera get something to eat and then we're going to the park for a walk."  
  
Vaughn sat on the bench brooding when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and looked at the caller id: home number, just what he needed right now - Alice.  
  
"Hello?" he asked.  
  
"Michael where the hell are you?" Alice screamed.  
  
"I left you a note Alice, I told you I was going out for a little while," he sighed.  
  
"You've been gone forever," she yelled.  
  
"I've been gone for an hour," he retorted, "That's it! An hour."  
  
"That's an hour too long," she continued screaming, "Where the hell are you?"  
  
"I'm at the park, is there a crime against that?" he sarcastically replied.  
  
"Who's there with you?" she jealously asked.  
  
"Uh, me?"  
  
"Come home now," she demanded.  
  
"I don't want to come home now," he told her, "I'll be home when I feel like it."  
  
"NOW Michael!"  
  
Getting sick and tired of listening to her, Michael clicked the end button and put the phone back in his pocket before he went back to brooding.  
  
Sydney and Kiera walked through the park hand-in-hand, quietly looking at everything going on around them.  
  
"Sydney."  
  
She flipped around at the sound of her name being called and was met by a pair of green eyes she would recognize any day.  
  
But those green eyes left hers as they saw the occupant with her and became clouded with something she couldn't recognize: confusion!  
  
Kiera looked up and met those green eyes and the person gasped, "Who's that?" 


	3. Chapter 3

AGAIN CHAPTER 3  
  
So clearly I was mean with the last chapter, leaving it where Kiera and Vaughn were getting ready to meet, and I'll just say, this one is evil too, but hopefully I'll be updating more, I have 3 more chapters written.  
  
So please read and review.  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Kiera looked up and met those green eyes and the person gasped, "Who's that?"  
  
Sydney nervously looked from Kiera to Vaughn and back to Kiera again, her daughter, her princess, but Vaughn's daughter also.  
  
She had a feeling Vaughn already knew exactly who Kiera was - if you looked at her you could easily tell - but he wanted to hear it from her mouth, wanted to hear that he had a daughter.  
  
Finally she gave up, it was no use, he knew Kiera was his daughter so she might as well confirm it. Pulling Kiera towards her, she looked down into her little girl's eyes, the eyes that had haunted her for the last 5 years.  
  
"Kiera sweetie this is your father Michael Vaughn, Vaughn this is Kiera," she introduced, "Your daughter."  
  
Vaughn's eyes grew huge as he stared down into a pair of eyes that had run in his family for hundreds of years, and his eyes misted over when he thought of everything he had missed out on.  
  
Sydney stepped back to watch Vaughn and Kiera's first meeting, something she had dreamed about since seeing the beautiful blonde hair and green eyes that Kiera had inherited from Vaughn.  
  
Vaughn squatted down so he was eyelevel with Kiera, green met green, Kiera took a step towards Vaughn, and next thing he knew she was in his arms, tears running down her face, "Daddy."  
  
Vaughn's heart contracted as he rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back, "Shh, Kiera sweetie, it's okay, Daddy's here, it's okay, quiet down."  
  
Hearing his soothing words, the tears stopped flowing, but Kiera stayed in his arms, and he didn't mind, he was savoring the moment.  
  
His cell phone rang and he groaned, having to pull away from Kiera, he saw it was from home again and put it back in his breast pocket as it continued to ring.  
  
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Sydney asked curiously.  
  
After it rang for the twelfth time, he angrily pulled it back out and answered, "What?"  
  
"Michael where are you?" Alice asked again.  
  
"I told you I was at the park," he growled, "I talked to you ten freakin' minutes ago."  
  
"Michael I told you to come home right now," Alice hissed, "Why aren't you home?"  
  
"Because I told you I didn't want to come home," he screamed, "Which means I don't want to come home - I'll be home when I feel like it."  
  
He hung up on her once again, and shoved the phone back in his pocket. He looked up at Sydney, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow.  
  
"Pumpkin why don't you go play on the playground while Daddy and I talk," Sydney said, "Just be sure to stay in my line of sight."  
  
Kiera nodded as she ran off to the swings where she met a new friend and the two of them took turns pushing each other.  
  
Sydney kept her gaze on Kiera until she was sure she would be okay, before she finally took her chocolate brown eyes and met the green ones that were identical to her daughters.  
  
"Why did you leave Syd?" he sighed, "Why would you leave if you knew you were pregnant with *my* child?"  
  
"First of all I didn't know I was pregnant when I left, I didn't find that out until two months later," Sydney explained, "And second of all - I found out you and Alice were still together."  
  
His forehead wrinkled in confusion, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I saw the two of you," she swallowed, trying to clear the tears out of her voice and eyes, "Together - in the restaurant the night that I left. I went home, packed up all my stuff and left. Once I got to the airport, I picked a terminal number - 47 - that was to New York City, and that's where I went."  
  
Vaughn nodded, an expression she couldn't read on his face, "What are you talking about?"  
  
Then it clicked, that night Alice had asked him to come because she needed to talk to him, then she had thrown herself at him.  
  
He put his head in his hands, she had left town, pregnant with his daughter because Alice, the little slut, had thought she would be able to get him back, when deep down he was so in love with Sydney and would have chosen her over Alice anyday.  
  
"Syd..." he started, "About that."  
  
"No," Sydney interrupted, "I don't want to hear anything, you don't need to explain, I saw what I saw. And just because you're married to Alice, I won't hold that against you - you can see Kiera anytime you want to, since she is your daughter and all. Now if you'll excuse me."  
  
She tried to turn and head back towards where Kiera was playing, but he caught her wrist and spun her around.  
  
"Where are you going?" he questioned.  
  
"To get Kiera so we can get back to my parents," she hurriedly explained, "It seems like you have to get home anyways."  
  
"Syd don't do this," he pleaded, "Don't try to walk yourself out of my life, you and I have a daughter - you are going to stay in my life no matter what you have to say. I won't let go."  
  
Her temper rose, "You are with Alice! Got that? You married her - that is your problem. You can see Kiera, I will not keep you from your daughter, but that's it, don't make it sound like I have to be in your life - it's my choice - if I don't want anything to do with you or Alice then I don't have to."  
  
Vaughn felt his heart hit the ground, she didn't want to have anything to do with him, but he wouldn't let his anguish show, he put on a hard shell.  
  
"Fine," he spat, "But don't think I'm going to back out of Kiera's life - I WILL not! I grew up without a father and I will not let that happen to her."  
  
"I never said you did," she hissed, feeling her heart shatter, she had hoped to come back and work things out with him for Kiera's sake - but so many things had changed, "Just call the house - someone will be there."  
  
"I could just talk to you at work," he suggested.  
  
"Just call the house," she said before she turned and walked towards Kiera, "Kiera! Come on! It's time to go home."  
  
Kiera ran over to Sydney with a huge smile on her face, "Do we have to go mommy?"  
  
"Sorry sweetie but we do," Sydney sadly replied.  
  
"Well can we come back soon? Anna comes here everyday and she's sure a lot of fun to play with."  
  
"Of course sweetheart," Sydney smiled, "Maybe Grandma can bring you up here sometime this week."  
  
Kiera nodded and then looked behind them at her father who was sadly watching them go, "Can I go say bye to daddy?"  
  
"Go right ahead Kiera," Sydney sighed, "Just please make it fast."  
  
Sydney turned and watched as Kiera ran into Vaughn's arms, the two of them sharing the biggest hug, and suddenly she felt sad, she was regretting her decision to no longer be a part of Vaughn's life.  
  
"Okay mommy, I'm ready now," Kiera told her as she ran up and grabbed Sydney's hand, "Daddy says I'll see him soon."  
  
"You will princess," Sydney promised, "You'll never be neglected of your father. EVER."  
  
----  
  
Vaughn slowly walked into the house, knowing that Alice was going to come down on him and come down hard and frankly he was getting sick and tired of her.  
  
He just wanted to go to his room, lock himself in and drown himself in some good, hard liquor.  
  
'Why did Sydney want nothing to do in my life?' he asked himself, but he would convince her otherwise, she would be back in his life even if he had to drag her kicking and screaming, and he would do it too.  
  
But for now he would go on being in Kiera's life, knowing that he and Sydney had a daughter together, a beautiful daughter, his little angel.  
  
"Michael where have you been?" a very angry Alice stormed into the living room.  
  
"At the park Alice," he spelled it out for her, treating her like she was a five-year-old, "But I already told you that BOTH times that you called me."  
  
"You hung up on me," she hissed, poking his chest, "Who were you with Michael? Another woman? Are you cheating on me?"  
  
"I was not with another woman," Vaughn sighed, "Just get it through your thick head."  
  
"Who were you with Michael?" she pestered, "What's the homewrecker's name? Tell me the slut's name."  
  
He sighed and snapped, "Fine! I was with Sydney and I found out something: I have a daughter."  
  
************************  
  
Hehe :devil:  
  
Please R/R!  
  
Thanks!  
  
-Nicole 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
****  
  
Alice's eyes bugged out and her face turned so red he thought she might explode, "Excuse me?"  
  
"I have a daughter," he explained, "Sydney and I - we have a daughter."  
  
"How can you have a daughter?" Alice demanded, "She's been gone for years."  
  
"Before she left Alice," he told her, "She was pregnant when she left LA 5 years ago."  
  
"Are you leaving me?" she screamed, "You're leaving me for that little tramp?"  
  
Vaughn wanted to walk out that door forever, slam it behind him and never come back. Running into Sydney's arms was exactly what he wanted to do.  
  
"She comes back 5 years after *she* left *you,* tells you the two of you have a daughter and then you're ready to just leave your whole life behind to go back to your old one," Alice scoffed, "How do you think that makes me feel? To know that you have a child with someone else? Something we've wanted since we got married?"  
  
"Alice I really don't care what you think anymore," he sighed, "You're really starting to piss me off, because all you think about is you, never anyone else, just you."  
  
He turned around and walked towards the door, needing to get out and away from her, to go somewhere, anywhere but this house.  
  
She stomped behind him, "Michael where do you think you're going?"  
  
He didn't answer her, and instead slammed the door in her face.  
  
****  
  
Sydney and Kiera arrived back at Jack and Irina's house, and everyone watched as Sydney walked up the stairs and to her room.  
  
Jack and Irina looked at each other confused, before Kiera pulled Irina away and off into the den.  
  
Jack just stood looking at the stairs where Sydney had vacated, debating whether or not to follow her up the stairs and find out what was going on.  
  
Once he was assured that Irina was keeping Kiera occupied, he took the trip up the stairs.  
  
****  
  
"What are we doing?" Irina asked Kiera as she dragged the paper out from under the cupboard.  
  
"I'm drawing Daddy a picture," Kiera replied matter-of-factly, "You can draw him one too!"  
  
"'Daddy'?" Irina questioned, "What are you talking about Kiera?"  
  
"I met my daddy today!" Kiera exclaimed, "Me and mommy were in the park and he was there."  
  
"You met Vaughn?" Irina asked.  
  
Kiera nodded, "And he was nice to me, so I'm going to draw a picture for him and mommy can give it to him for me, and then he can know that I love him."  
  
Now she knew exactly why Sydney was acting the way she had been acting when they came home. Taking Kiera's hand, she led the little girl out into the backyard, "Come on Kiera, let's go play soccer."  
  
****  
  
Jack knocked on Sydney's door, waiting outside until she answered.  
  
"Go away," she sniffled.  
  
"Sydney please let me in," Jack begged.  
  
"Fine," she sighed, and a second later she felt her beg sag under Jack's added weight.  
  
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Sweetheart what's bothering you?"  
  
She buried her head in her pillow, wishing to erase the last few days from her memory and changing her mind about coming back to LA, "Nothing."  
  
"Sydney Ann Bristow!" Jack exclaimed, "Don't you lie to me! I am your father!"  
  
She pulled her face away and looked Jack in the eyes, "Vaughn was at the park when Kiera and I went."  
  
"Oh," Jack said, "And I suppose he asked who Kiera was and you had to tell him?"  
  
She nodded miserably, "And Kiera loved him just like I knew she would."  
  
"What are you going to do?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head, "There's nothing I can do, he's married to Alice."  
  
****  
  
Vaughn walked up the sidewalk of Jack and Irina's house, unsure if he was doing the right thing.  
  
He knocked on the door, and looked around at the yard as he was waiting for it to be opened.  
  
The door was opened and he smiled at Irina, "Is Sydney here?"  
  
TBC...  
  
****  
  
Let me know what you all think please and thank you!  
  
-Nicole 


	5. Chapter 5

[5]  
  
"Is Sydney here?"  
  
Irina looked at him, debating whether or not to let him by, "Vaughn, I don't know if that's such a good idea right now."  
  
"Please," he begged, "I really need to talk to her, it's important."  
  
She shook her head, "I --"  
  
The door flung open the rest of the way and Kiera threw herself into Vaughn's arms, "Daddy!"  
  
"Hey baby," he smiled, "What were you doing?"  
  
"Playing soccer with Grandma," she explained, "Before that I drew you a picture, hold on, I'll go get it."  
  
She turned on her heel and booked it straight through the house, heading towards the den.  
  
"I guess you can come in," Irina invited, pulling the door open wider, "The den's right through the kitchen."  
  
Vaughn nodded and headed towards the den, following Kiera's fast-moving body.  
  
Irina watched Kiera interact with Vaughn like they had been together from the beginning and hadn't just met that day, and only one thought popped into her mind at the sight played out in front of her, 'What has Sydney gotten herself into now?'  
  
****  
  
Jack shook his head, "There's got to be something you can do Sydney. You can't just keep shutting him out, the two of you have a daughter together."  
  
"Dad, he married Alice!" Sydney exclaimed, "He's in love with Alice!"  
  
"You know that's not true Sydney," he frowned, "He may love Alice, but he can't be in love with her."  
  
"And why can't he?!" Sydney screamed.  
  
"Because he's in love with you."  
  
****  
  
Irina walked up the stairs and quietly knocked on the door where Sydney and Jack were talking.  
  
She really wished that Vaughn hadn't showed up because she didn't want to have to tell Sydney, but there's nothing she could do, he was downstairs playing with Kiera right at the moment and he wanted to speak to Sydney.  
  
Quietly, she knocked on the door, and after a minute she walked into the room to find Sydney bawling and Jack attempting to comfort her, but to no avail.  
  
She motioned to Jack to follow her out into the hall and he looked at Sydney, "Sydney, sweetheart, I'll be back in one minute, okay? I just have to do one quick thing."  
  
Sydney nodded, not really caring either way, she just needed someone to comfort her, and there was only one person who could ever do that; and that person was at home with his wife.  
  
Jack walked out into the hall and closed the door behind him, "What's wrong? Our daughter is having an emotional breakdown, she needs someone to comfort her."  
  
Irina shook her head, "There's only one person who could comfort her and you know that."  
  
He looked defeated, but nodded, "So, what's going on? Where's Kiera? You left her alone?"  
  
"No, Jack, I didn't leave her alone --" Irina started, but was cut off by Jack.  
  
"What do you mean you didn't leave her alone?" he demanded, "We're the only ones in the house."  
  
"We have a visitor," she informed him, "Vaughn is downstairs playing with Kiera, he wants to talk to Sydney."  
  
"She's in no condition to talk to him now," Jack replied, looking at the closed door, "She's having a breakdown about him, she's not ready."  
  
"He may be the only one who could help her," Irina told him.  
  
He nodded, "Do you want to go downstairs and bring him up here?"  
  
She grabbed his hand, "We'll go together."  
  
"What about Sydney?" he asked.  
  
"Let her cry this out, compose herself for a minute."  
  
****  
  
Jack and Irina walked down the stairs, and into the den, but didn't enter right away, they stood right outside of it and watched Kiera and Vaughn together, the bond between the two of them obvious already, even though they hadn't known each other for that long.  
  
"Look at the two of them," Irina whispered.  
  
"You can see the resemblance," Jack noted, "She has his eyes, she's the spitting image of him."  
  
"But she has Sydney's stubborn streak," Irina added.  
  
Jack kissed his wife lightly, "Yours too."  
  
"Okay," Irina murmured, "Let's go now."  
  
He nodded and the two of them walked into the den where Kiera was showing Vaughn how she could read a book all by herself.  
  
"...snowball's such a massive size, the children can't believe their eyes! 'It's bigger than my house!' shouts one, who stumbles when she starts to run. The snowball gets them one and all like a giant bowling ball with lots of children stuck in there. Oh look! It's caught another pair! The snowball stops, the children shout, 'Someone please come and help us out! For if we can't get home, it's clear, we'll miss Christmas Day this year!' Claire runs to town. She shout..."  
  
Kiera looked up at Vaughn, "Could a snowball really eat me?"  
  
He tweeked her nose with a smile, "Of course not. And if it did, I'd protect you, no snowball would eat you with me around."  
  
Her smile beamed at him and he couldn't help but grin, he had helped make this beautiful little girl.  
  
"Kiera, do you want to come help me cook dinner?"  
  
They both looked up and saw Irina and Jack in the doorway, and Kiera bounced off Vaughn's lap, "Really Grandma? I've always wanted to cook, but mommy always told me I was too young."  
  
Irina grabbed the little girl's hand and lead her out of the den in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Vaughn alone with Jack.  
  
"Hello Jack."  
  
"Agent Vaughn."  
  
"I'm sorry to intrude in your home," he drawled, "But I really need to talk to Sydney, it's important."  
  
Jack nodded, "I'll show you where she is, but I'll warn you that she isn't in good shape."  
  
"What do you mean?" Vaughn questioned.  
  
"She's having an emotional breakdown right now, she just really needs to be comforted is all."  
  
Vaughn understood, and followed Jack out of the den to the stairs.  
  
At the bottom of the staircase, Jack paused. "If you hurt my daughter more," Jack warned, "I will hunt you down, and you won't like it. And if you do that, never again think that you'll see Sydney and Kiera, I'll send them away so you specifically can't find them. Do you understand?"  
  
He gulped and nodded, "I understand sir."  
  
With that threat in the air, Jack walked up the stairs and paused outside of a room, "She's in here."  
  
Then he left, and Vaughn's hand was poised on the doorknob.  
  
****  
  
Vaughn pushed the door open.  
  
Sydney, thinking it was her dad, didn't look up, "Dad, I'm fine. Believe me, I just needed to get that out. I'll be okay now."  
  
"I'll let him know that then," Vaughn announced his presence.  
  
Her head snapped up and she looked him in the eyes, "Oh - I - I thought that you were my dad. I'm sorry, I didn't --"  
  
She was cut off rambling when he sat down across from her on the bed, and placed his hand on top of hers, "Syd, it's okay. I'm here now."  
  
And when he pulled her into his arms, she went willingly, it had been so long since she had felt really safe, and now, finally, she did once again.  
  
He whispered soothing words into her ear as he attempted to calm her.  
  
They sat there for a few minutes, his arms around her and her just enjoying being in his arms once again, absorbing it all.  
  
Then she remembered, he was married, and this wasn't right, and she broke away.  
  
"Syd," he whispered worriedly, forehead wrinkles out in full force, "What's wrong?"  
  
"You're married," she retorted, "We can't be doing this because you're married."  
  
"I've dreamed about you being back in my arms for five years Syd," he sighed, "It's about time that that dream came true."  
  
Sydney looked at the ground when she asked her next question, "What about Alice? You did marry her after all."  
  
Vaughn sighed, "Alice and I haven't been getting along to great lately. I think it might almost be over."  
  
"Because of me," Sydney observed, "Me and Kiera, we're the reasons you haven't been getting along."  
  
He shook his head, "It's not because of you two Sydney, believe me it's not, she started criticizing every thing I've been doing lately. The only thing that could have saved our marriage was the baby."  
  
"Baby?" she asked quietly.  
  
"We thought she was pregnant, the day you came back to town," he informed her, "But it was a false alarm, she's been really withdrawn since then, wants to know where I'm going, who I'm going to be with, when I'll be home. I feel like I'm a sixteen year old all over again, trapped in my house by my mother."  
  
"Does she know that I'm back in town?" Sydney questioned, "About Kiera?"  
  
He nodded, "I told her before I came over here. She flipped out, so I left, slammed the door on my way out and have no urge to go back to that prison ever again."  
  
"What does that mean?" she inquired quietly.  
  
"That means that I want you, me and Kiera to be a family," he told her, "Once and for all. Finally."  
  
TBC...  
  
~&~&~  
  
*sigh* Let's all be happy now. 


End file.
